North Branford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Offense

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL BAUER, 36, of North Branford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 10, 2015, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a court-authorized search of BAUER’s North Branford residence and seized approximately 19 electronic devices, including external hard drives.  A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including images and videos depicting children younger than 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Some of the images and videos depict sadistic and masochistic conduct.

BAUER is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on August 1, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

BAUER is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.